Friday Fast for Life, Marriage, and Religious Liberty (#5)

Intention: For all people of faith who fight to preserve religious freedom, that the Lord will strengthen their resolve to hold firm in their witness.

Reflection: Religious freedom is a fundamental right not only for Catholics and Christians but for all human persons. In the U.S., freedom of religion is an inalienable constitutional right that protects citizens and institutions from government interference with the exercise of their religious beliefs. However, freedom of religion does not arise solely or originally from the U.S. Constitution. Rather, as the Fathers of the Second Vatican Council declared in Dignitatis Humanae(the Declaration on Religious Freedom), “the right to religious freedom has its foundation in the very dignity of the human person” (DH, 2).

Because men and women are created with reason and free will, they “are bound to seek the truth, especially in what concerns God and His Church, and to embrace the truth they come to know, and to hold fast to it” (DH, 1). Thus, the U.S. Constitution simply secures the right that inherently belongs to each person by virtue of his or her personhood. The fact that religious freedom is rooted in the dignity of the human person reminds us that we are praying and fasting not for an abstract concept called religious freedom, but for the full dignity of all men and women, created to seek the truth and hold fast to it.

Did you know? A bill titled the “Health Care Conscience Rights Act” was just introduced in the House earlier this week by Rep. Diane Black. The bill would protect Americans’ First Amendment rights by providing a full exemption for all those whose religious beliefs run counter to the HHS mandate. The bill would also protect institutions and individuals from forced participation in abortion. Click here to take action to support H.R. 940!

How about a bill that says “No employers Religious Views should be forced on the employees” Jehovah Witnesses do not believe in Blood Transfusions does that mean they can deny there employees Blood Transfusions in there medical care? It’s no different when it comes to Contraception coverage

employers don’t pay for blood tranfusions, a.k.a. making them free of charge on employees’ insurance coverage. On the contrary, employers would have to pay for contraception coverage–making it free for their employees–and that is what’s objectionable to Catholic conscience. If employees want contraceptive coverage (not as life-threatening as blood transfusion), they should pay for it themselves.